


the price paid

by goukyorin (sashimisusie)



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Spoilers, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-15
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-03-01 14:28:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2776424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sashimisusie/pseuds/goukyorin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her grief is not wholly about the Divine's fate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the price paid

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for Cassandra's romance dialogue, and the prologue of DA: I.

      They see the explosion in the sky long before the wind races down what remains of the mountain-top temple, and seemingly eons before the sound of the sonic boom staggers those who remain standing. Cassandra’s first thought is for the Divine—Justinia would have been right at the heart of it—before her mind races down the list of those present at the Conclave.

      She is the Right Hand of the Divine, and it would be a ridiculous lapse in security for her not to know the list of dignitaries present. Each and every Knight-Templar, Grand Cleric and Enchanter of importance is gathered in the Temple of Sacred Ashes for the peace talks.

> _Cassandra is eighteen years younger, cutting an impressive_ _image with her dark armour as she tilts her chin up to the roar_ _of the crowd gathered in the Grand Cathedral. Divine Beatrix III ra_ _ises her arm, and announces her gratitude aloud._
> 
> _**“**  We name Regalyan D’Marcall of the White Spire to the position of Enchanter,  **”** and the Seeker gives the new Enchanter a glance that spells out her pride without needing any words._

      The world goes silent, save for the howling wind that cuts her to the quick. Yet for all the ice and snow, there is only numbness.

      She moves as a thing possessed, directing what forces remain to them with clockwork efficiency. Save the wounded, grant those too far gone the mercy of a swift death. The dead fall low on the ladder of priorities. They cannot cry out for aid, and in a crisis, the living must do all they can to stay alive.

_**“**  Someone made it out of there alive, Seeker!  **”** _

_( Not Justinia. Not Regalyan. Who is this? )_

      Cassandra would have killed the survivor, the only one to walk out from the explosion alive, if Leliana had not been there to drag her back. Anger makes her other, twisting rationality to revenge as grief only serves to sharpen the blade that circumstance has thrust into her hands. But they have need of this survivor, with the mark that pulses with each expansion of the hole in the sky.

      The Seeker of Truth is without answers, for the first time in her life. But someone will answer for this. For Justinia’s death, for ruining any chance at reconciliation between the mages and templars, for every single twisted lyrium horror and charred corpse that crumbles into ash in the wind.

_( For Galyan. )_

      Someone will answer for it, and someone will **_pay_**.


End file.
